Islamic cleric and scholar Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has praised former President Olusegun Obasanjo for standing up for his conviction and for being bold to confront the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

In the words of the Kaduna-based cleric, Mr. Obasanjo has “washed his hands off innocent blood” by speaking up against the lapses of the incumbent government. Last week, Mr. Obasanjo had leaked the contents of an 18-page letter filled with allegations of corruption, misrule, and dishonorable conduct against President Jonathan.

In a letter titled “Before It Is Too Late,” the former president expressed grave concern on President Jonathan manner of governance. He also accused the president of ineptitude and failure to deliver on his electoral promises to Nigerians. In addition, Mr. Obasanjo charged that President Jonathan had failed to curb corruption, had lost control of national security, and was promoting divisiveness.

Mr. Gumi endorsed Mr. Obasanjo’s position. “I expect all those retired generals who are languishing in their luxurious buildings would come out and speak against what is happening in Nigeria. Nobody did, so I hail this man and I am ready to forgive him for all the things he did against Nigeria,” Mr. Gumi said.

Responding to the issue of corruption during Mr. Obasanjo’s Presidency, the Islamic cleric admitted to SaharaTV’s Rudolf Okonkwo that there was corruption during Obasanjo’s tenure. “There was corruption, yes,” he said. “But Obasanjo was not doing it to divide Nigeria. He was doing it to help himself and his friends.”

Some of Mr. Obasanjo’s critics have also noted that he “imposed” President Jonathan on Nigerians. But Mr. Gumi suggested that the motive of Mr. Obasanjo, a two-time head of state, was to show Nigerians that anyone from any ethnic group, including minority groups, could become president. “The intention of Obasanjo, who fought the Biafran war, a war of secession from Nigeria, his intention was never to bring somebody to break Nigeria,” he said.

He sharply blamed President Jonathan for doing little to curb corruption in his government and also for his lackadaisical approach to the security crisis in the north-eastern part of Nigeria. In a veiled reference to the scandal involving Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, who spent $1.6 million ostensibly to acquire two bullet-proof cars, Mr. Gumi asked, “How can the [National] Assembly investigate a case of fraud by one Minister and convict the Minister, yet the President [is] taking no action about that?”

The firebrand Islamic scholar also indicted President Jonathan for hiding behind terror attacks by the Islamist group, Boko Haram, to unleash his own brand of terror on Nigerians. He alleged that a series of bombings across northern Nigeria, which seemed to have been perpetuated by Boko Haram, were actually carried out by security operatives under President Jonathan’s command. “Boko Haram are people from the north-eastern part of Nigeria. And if you can remember, or if you can even hear their language, you know that they are from the north-eastern part. If they want to fight the president because he is a southerner or a Christian, they will go to southern states and Christian states to fight him there. They will not be exploding bombs in their own towns,” the sheikh said. He added that Mr. Jonathan belongs to a faction of Nigerians hell-bent on seceding from and breaking up the Nigerian federation.

Presenting three scenarios all of which entailed Mr. Jonathan losing power, the Islamic cleric stated that Mr. Obasanjo’s letter spells doom for the president’s electoral chances in 2015. He said that Mr. Jonathan’s options are to resign, to be impeached, or to risk being humiliated at the polls in 2015. He advised the embattled president to choose the first option.

“I don’t think anybody can stand up now and say he will campaign for Jonathan. It is finished. So the best way for him is to resign,” Mr. Gumi said. He argued that Mr. Jonathan should seriously consider the first option because Nigerians cannot be ruled by force anymore. “Nobody will rule us again with a rigged election,” he said.

its aptly very unfortunate that most of u dont understand the terrain in Government and politics,whether u like it or not Goodluck remains the most accessible President,record will certainly show us that OBJ’s government was and remains the most corrupt he brought in a sick yaradua,imposed jonathan on nigerians riged the election by himself and today he has the guts to say rubbish

if he can come out and tell us how $8billion power project money was spent not to talk of the revenue for pravatization and the oil blogs including insest with his son’s wife which he has nt defended till today,i put it straight to every Nigerian that OBJ has no LOCUS OPERANDI OR STANDING to speak against President Jonathan

Shouting resign and after that what next? They should shout solution and not resign because resign is for their selfish interest which will make matter worse. Are voting shagari or tinubu or obasanju? tell me among them who is not corrupt..

Is like the story of the woman in the Bible. They were all saying lets stone to death because she as committed adultery. When they brought her to JESUS, HE said let him that have no sin cast the first stone.

They are blaming GEJ as if he is the cause of Nigeria problems and the funniest of all, these thieves are all pointing fingers when the rest of their fingers are pointing at them.

Nigerians please we are wiser now and let us pray for our northern brothers to be wise so that they won’t deceive them no more, most especially through their beliefs.

Sheik Gumi, you shall not bear false witness aganinst your neighbour. Remenber! not what goes into d mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of d mouth, dis defiles a man. For u load men wit burden (IsIamic) hard to bear, and u urself do not touch d burdens wit one of urs fingers. For u hav taken away d key of knowledge; u did not enter yourselves and u hindered those who were entering (The kingdom of God). GEJ He s more wiser dan OBJ….GEJ BEST PRESIDENT SO FAR.

good luck jonhatan he will not finish his presidency because all the things he go power half half rember he was deputy governor he didnt finish he became governor he didnt finish he became vice president he didnt finish how can he finished his presedential time that his destny half half dont wary nigerian he is going.

Resign for u to take over? stupid idiot.
What is truth about OBJ’s letter?
U are nothing but a disgruntled element and religious fanatic.
What has Jonathan done wrong?
I beleive u are sick in ur brain.

Your USMAN BAYERO name is fake, you are from the Niger Delta home state of Jonathan, why hide your identity if what you are saying is factual and not borne out of blind support for failed president. Obasanjo made the most mistake of his life by imposing a certain Jonathan from an obscure region of Niger Delta, someone without political pedegree to rule this country; the result is all there for everybody to see. Don’t you see how his wife Patience has suddenly become power drunk and is unable to handle the fame and exposure that comes along with the presidency.? Throwing her light weight around without recourse to the limitations of her office by the constitution of Nigeria.
Elders say it’s not all heads that is condidered qualified to wear a CROWN. Jonathan and Patience unfortunately are two of a pair whose heads don’t fit any crown anywhere.

Let me ask, OBJ regime and GEJ regime which one is better intense of corruptions in Nigeria? If OBJ knows the best way to tackle the corruptions, why did he not do it in his regime? because I know vividly that when OBJ was in power they are many corrupt practices going on but nothing was done about it. Is it now that he want to use GEJ to fight the corruptions that he did not fight when he was in power?

However,Politics in Nigeria is something one hardly understand, I don’t really know what OBJ still want in presidency.. From all the indications, OBJ is looking for a away to rubbish GEJ government because he refuse to listen to him. OBJ want to be controlling everything in Nigeria..

OBJ, IBB, ANNINI,BUHARI, these men are the major problems in Nigeria, they are corrupt and deadly. How would they fight corruptions when OBJ and these men do not respect the law in the land, I remember Oputa panel, IBB refused to appear and its not GEJ regime that this happened. OBJ your political career is coming to an end. Watch out and see.

If this a way to jeopardize GEJ chances of re-elected in 2015, you have failed woefully because the more you try, the more GEJ became stronger. I remember OBJ wanted third tenure what is really in this power that is sharking these men even when they are not doing well.

I’m not surprise with this man supporting OBJ, the Northerners will always support Anti-GEJ government because they still believed that its their turn to rule..

Northerners has rules for 38 yrs, what good deed did it produce in Nigeria.. it only making the richer become richer while the poor will be dying.. If this people are practices the polities we know and have human feelings, what they suppose to be thinking about is, who will make Nigeria a better place not where the president will come from..

We are not practicing politics in Nigeria.. what is going in Nigeria government are simply Cultist..They take power from the devil and do what they like with people of Nigeria. God gave us almost everything in Nigeria but the inhabitant are enslaving their people, all in the name of leadership.. Please Almighty God come for our rescue.

This islamic cleric should focus on his calling(if truely there is any) nd leave politics for politicians,Let GEJ contest nd fail like he’ve forsee,after all he wont be d 1st president to fail election,d distraction is too much for this man,he’s doing his best to deliver his campaign promises bt haters are hell bent on discrediting him

how l wish sheik Gumi should leave political comments to the politicians.now if the president resigns as he Gumi has said, who takes over? possibly the vice president who is from Kaduna and a muslim like him. look at the political implications my dear sheik. u now understand why you should leave political comments to the politicians pls.you are a religious man, kindly continue on that part.

Good day fellow Nigeria and compliment of the season,it has be long i make comment about my country Nigeria.My Question is are we practice politic? or are planing to brake up Nigeria?All our Leaders should stop pointing fingers to any present or past Rulers of this great country,Nigeria problems started right from Tafawabalewa and our leaders did not even take a challenge to find solution raider to think of their own selfish interest when they got to the seat of head of state or president they forgot about the masses of this great country.All my Prayers about this great Country is for God to come to our aid and direct our leader to know what this great nation Nigeria need and remove whom ever the enemies of the country.Nigeria we never experience any brake up we are one and remain one NIGERIA.

All our Leaders should join hand with the present government and sit together reason way forward,not all this complain,No one goes their that the same complain will not be their.My vision to Nigeria is we will divide one day but it won’t be by violent or war,is going to be of round table issue and all Nigeria we embrace it together and call it United State of Nigeria.just like America,but we will not have anything red in any of our banner before we bear that Name in thy mighty name Of JESUS CHRIST AMEN.

My fellow youth in Nigeria these past leaders are trying to jeopardize our future because they felt within themselves that, they have made it in life. But God will not allow them to succeed of their evil plans against our future and the future of this country. And as for you Sheik Gumi, you forgot that you are supporting an infidel against another infidel because he has said what want you and your people wanted,you bunch of hypocrites!

Is as if u guys have 4goten that power comes from God, weda u like it or not there must be an election 2015 and d winner be imerge. Man proposes n God opposes so u guys should stop talking about who shud rule n rather pray 4 good leadership. (gi ni tsata).